Okay folks, I'm going to say this once: Be nice (or at least civil) to each other in the Message Boards and in your Journals about other Journalers. We are aware of the sideshow going on in the Bar & Grill. That is a member-managed
realm, which means that it is yours to screw up, which some of you are
apparently hell-bent on doing. One thread has already been hidden, and
trust me, you're not going to like it if Mommy and Daddy have to keep
doing it. ("Don't make me stop this car!")
"But wait," you say. "It's not me causing trouble. It's the other guy. I'm the victim here!"
Okay,
now you know that, officially, I can't take sides in these little
squabbles. But here's a little secret between you, me and the wall: I
agree with you completely. You're the wronged party; I'm on your side. I'm actually talking about the other guy.
You know, that one. But for the sake of maintaining an atmosphere of
civility, I'm asking you to swallow your pride and take one for the
team.
Here's what I'm asking:
1. Accept that you're just not going to get along with some people, or that some people are going to try to get a rise out of you.
2. Make full use of the Notify AOL, ignore and block tools. Know them. Use them. Love them.
3. Accept the fact that you're not going to get the last word. (One never does in these things.) Declare victory and go home.
4. If you're still having problems, any questions about message boards should be directed to AOLPeopleMGR@aol.com. Don't be surprised if they tell you to follow the advice I've already given you, though.
We're
still at war, tens of thousands of people have died recently in
earthquakes, floods and landslides, and there are millions of people
who go to bed hungry every night. Please try to keep some perspective
about your online flame wars. Better yet, keep some perspective, then
donate to Network for Good. Thanks. -- Joe
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27 comments:
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and that is why I don't bother going to messageboards anymore. Thanks for reminding me lol.
Wow, I'm not sure what to say. Harassment through emails and on message boards and you ask people to swallow their pride for the team? Unbelievable.
well this isnt referring to your entry here, buttttt was told this is where you come if you are having problems with your journal. Such as no matter how many times you set your alert me when comments are posted is reset .... I am still not getting the alerts..... A few others are having the same issue as well. If you could check into it Myself and others would surely be happy.
Thanks
Deb
Joe, the problem I see is that when there is trouble afoot and we try to NOTIFY AOL or send complaints wherever we are directed, what I have received is a form letter as a reply and sometimes my complaints were never even read. This is unacceptable when you are a PAYING customer and have been for well over 10 years. I am close to leaving AOL because of this. I don't enjoy paying to be abused and ignored.
..
Joe, you just wasted a good entry space. It's like banging your head against a brick wall. bang, bang, bang! ignore! bang bang bang! ignore! a never ending cycle of AOL/AIM names, yet everyone is innocent. Even when a sockpuppet reveals themself, if it isn't the person they want it to be, the saga continues. It's really quiet funny...NOT!
Oh BOO HOO!
Paul runs to you like a baby. Either be fair about it, or stay out of it!
You want to something? Expose the sock puppets. Have BK Paul press his ignore button as you suggest.
Pull the board, one problem solved in this cold cruel world.
And guilt doesn't work well online....because for most, it's not real anyway, why do you think they use alternate screenames names and play the mind games? Different views of reality.
Notify AOL??? You kid right??? Wow, what did someone have to do to get notice from you about this??? The amazing part to me is this, that thread in particular that is being whined about was dead until "the God of journal boards" decided to throw his 0.4 cents into the matter like he does all of them, he waits until the thread has died down and then goes and throws his willy, nilly opinion in there as always. If there were ever a board bully well he would be the stereotype but then that thing just goes unnoticed around here for some pathetic reason. Nice try though but as long as Paul boy tries to bash me on the boards or chastise me, I think I'll continue to speak my mind.
Good Advice.
It takes two people to do the "angry message board dance" and when one stops dancing, the other one looks a bit foolish.
I agree, pull the board! We took a vote on creating it, why can't we do the same about pulling the plug on it?
"Be Nice" like "don't say anything at all if you can;'t say anything nice" neither of those work at all and i doubt they ever will i say expose the sock puppets just throw the privacy policy out the window and get done with it
THis would be great advice Joe, if AOL actually followed through on their end of the deal. Have you see the posts? If you had, they would have been pulled. Not only was my name thrown into a mess, but sock puppet after sock puppet has been allowed to come onto that board and hurt people I care about, and hurt myself. Do I think pulling the board is the answer? No. These people are never going to give up and any advice you give them will just go in one ear and out the other.
And unless you're helping us let AOL know, your advice is really no use to me as well.
It is sad to say it takes an act of GOD to get AOL to do most anything. Many of my favorite AOL journals have gone private this past year because of the lack of AOL management in the journals department. Many others are talking about it. I had a terrible time with your #1 sock poppet and the old journals editor snipped him right in the butt. However, since you have taken over he has been allowed to run rampant. As the journals editor I cannot imagine that you could not put a stop to this sort of behavior. I have actually recently purchased a domain for EP and may be pulling my journals off of AOL because of the lack of management on AOL in the journals/blog department. It is really a shame that you allow a couple of lunatic's to attack and assault anyone else they do not agree with. The board should provide those of us in need help with technical issues and such. It should be a safe harbor instead of the stormy sea it has stayed since you took over as journals editor.
Gabreael
http://journals.aol.com/gabreaelinfo/GabreaelsBodyMindSpiritJournal/
http://journals.aol.com/eparanormal/EasternParanormal/
Read the LA Laker message board... it's a disgrace.... and we don't disgrace easily there.
A. You can't pull the board, because this mess will just move to the public board. Come on, you all know this to be true. And let's think, that's where minors post and comment, and they don't need to see this kind of ridiculous behavior.
B. I have noticed hostility, and yes, I've participated in it. Because I'm sickened by the loss of the idea behind having a blog. It's turned into a war zone. No one is going to meet anyone here, so what's the point. I'm not planning to go meet Joe to chastise him for the color scheme of the board....no really I'm not. People just like to run rampant, because on here you have freedom you don't in real life. Unleash all your rage here, we'll love it! Not.
C. Posts of hostility die, and people like to come back after they've been dead for a good few days and rehash them. It was done, let go, leave it be! The flames were dead. Why rehash it, if only to cause trouble? And to instigate and push people's buttons. Everyone likes pushing buttons.
I just hope people realize that fighting publicly is never going to accomplish anything, except agitate the people you attack. If you honestly have a problem with someone, email them, deal with it personally. But to bring it publicly is just a sign for all us piranha to attack.
We're all piranha on here.
People need to grow up. Simple as that.
Yes, I agree with those who are asking for the board to be pulled. What is the point in having TOS if it isn't going to be enforced? Its time AOL started pulling accounts of the offenders. When and if that were to happen, there are going to be a lot of people shocked at who is actually involved with harrassing people under alter egos.
AOL states in their TOS that it will dole out some form of punishment to those who harrass others based on disability, sex, marital status, race, etc. I have yet to see that happen.
If AOL is going to reserve the right to start tracking what sites I visit and what programs I have installed on my computer, then its users should have the right to enjoy all areas of AOL provided to them without harrassment.
I would be embarrassed to be a paying advertiser on the boards that contain such vile and malicious content. When everyone leaves the service for lack of action on AOL's part, who are the advertisers going to pitch to? AOL should think about this since they are not only relying on paid subscriptions to it's service but also the advertising dollar to stay in business.
THEY are all IMBECILE'S!!!!!!!!!!!!! They just NEVER GET IT.
Case in point - the previous comment was obviously not from me. The screen name was altered to make it look like it came from me.
Dear Joe,
Im sorry to see that Gabreal is having rouble with people. I remember when Lisa was. So sorry for allof that trouble
nat
I honestly think my favorite part of all of this are the people who rant and rave about injustice, yet they do nothing to be a part of the solution. I mean, don't you think if they are going to sit here and complain about all the "problems" that occur on the boards they would take a moment to stop and think "Hey, maybe I should walk away too, stop inciting riots, stop acting like an idiot and things might get better!" Or perhaps those that are complaining could say "Wow, I complain about it, yet I do the same thing". It takes a far better person to admit to their mistakes, own up to them and learn from them instead of constantly complaining about everyone else while never doing anything to better themselves. Yet instead the pot calls the kettle black and they keep on adding to the trash on the boards. Even the posts saying, "Hey lets stop all this" keep adding to it. Ignore people IGNORE! Move on, get over the dramatic obsessions! It's a sad sad day when you have to post an entry in your journal chiding the "children". Yet I fear you are beating a dead horse. Even when there were board monitors, they gave the same advice you have given, yet the same song and dance occured time and time again. If only grown adults were more like children and learned from their mistakes and quit making the same ones....I think a sign should be posted "Don't feed the regulars" meaning if you come in the middle of a thread don't add on to it, don't "feed" the dramanators!!
Are you joking Sheila? You harass a 17 year old girl (Cherry2Sweet) with fake email accounts and brag about it, you send out a video where Mexicans are laughed at for wanting work and brag about it, you talk about women like you are some misogynist, and you have more screen names than anyone else. Are you delusional?
And what are supposed to do about those who SAY they are leaving, but still come back, 10 minutes later with a new excuse as to why they cannot stay away? @@. RMFE.
I was wondering why it was so quiet at the Bar & Grill... looks like the barroom brawl has moved over here.
Folks, I think you might be missing the point of this entry.
(Sorry Joe, but the irony is a little amusing).
Why would people be fighting about it here in this Journal? When he asked everyone to be nice on the board? Hey Kids? your diapers are showing!! (NOT referring to ALL commentors btw)
How about a reminder that the freedom which allows us to express our own opinion should be respected of others. We should allow people to disagree with something we say. I'm not talking about total name calling stuff etc. I don't see that but if you delete people who disagree with you then you are not encouraging other viewpoints, based on culture, age, gender ETC! Seems people just want you to reinforced their own thoughts or else you are out! Sad!
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